HALFPIPE NIGHT FINALS: STRAIGHT HEAT 

The halfpipe night finals at LAAX OPEN 2026 went fully off in front of a stacked crowd. Gaon Choi (KOR) and Scotty James (AUS) took top honors after throwing down absolute hammers under the lights.

Scotty was on another level, locking in his fifth LAAX OPEN win with a monster second run—easily one of the best he’s ever put down in comp. The King of Laax, by now, stomped a switch backside double cork 1440 mute, a trick that’s only been landed in contest twice ever. 'New Kid' Campbell Ives Melville (NZL) and Valentino Guseli (AUS) rounded out the podium, making it an Aussie–NZ throwdown.

The Japanese hitec riders, Ayume, Yuto and Ruka couldn't nail it down in the finals. Unluckily Ayume had a really bad crash on the icy wall on the first run and had to skip the second run, we hope he is getting better quick and will make it to the Olympics.

On the women’s side, Gaon Choi ran away with it, laying down a super clean backside 900 stalefish and a frontside 1080 melon that no one else could touch. Rise Kudo (JPN) took second, with Cai Xuetong (CHN) locking in third for an all-Asian podium.

SLOPESTYLE FINALS: NEXT-LEVEL RIDING 

A sunny last day at Crap Sogn Gion, and the slopestyle finals delivered. Romain Allemand (FRA) dropped in swinging and rode away with his first-ever LAAX OPEN win, making history as the first French rider to win a FIS Slopestyle World Cup. The guy was blown away after the win—and for good reason. His run was stacked with tech, including a back double 1080 pullback to 900 melon. Straight progression.

Yuto Kimura (JPN), just 17 years old, snagged second, while Su Yiming (CHN) threw down for third. Big shoutout to Jonas Hasler (SUI) too—sixth place and punching his ticket to the Olympics. Huge result on home snow.

In the women’s comp, Kokomo Murase (JPN) claimed her first LAAX OPEN win, looking smooth and stylish with a frontside double cork 900 truckdriver. Lily Dhawornvej (USA) took second, and Anna Gasser held it down in third to complete the podium.

HP FINAL RECAP:

 

SS FINAL RECAP:

 

SS SKI FINAL RECAP:

 

Photography by M. Lämmerhirt, C. Stadler and P. Rüggli